Blindstitch sewing-machine.



J. G. LEWIS.

BLINDSTITCH SEWING MACHINE.

APPUCATION FILED DEC-24,1910.

Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

12 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. G. LEWIS.

BLINDSTITCH SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 24, 1910.

1,172,812. Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

12 SHEETSSHEET 2.

J. G. LEWIS.

BLINDSTITCH SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC- 24. 19I0.

1,172. 812. Patented Feb. 22,1916.

12 SHEETSSHEET 3.

9'6 J? 50 r J l, q 59 54 II 46 I II I l II III I I.

' ma -4m REA/0Q) QLLJIKAKICG J. G. LEW|S..

BLINDSTITCH SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-24.19l0. 1,172,812. Y

Patented Feb. 22,1916.

l2 SHEETS-SHEET 4- J. G. LEWIS.

Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

12 SHEETSSHET 5- J. G. LEWIS.

.BLINDSTITCH SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FjILED 0 c.24. 1910.

Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

I2 SHEETS-SHEET 6- J. G. LEWIS.

BLINDSTITCH SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 050.24. 1910.

1,172,812. Patented Feb. 22,1916.

I2 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

J. G. LEWIS.

BLINDSTITCH SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 24, 1910.

1,172,812. I Patented Feb. 22,1916.

l2 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

,n 1 M N 1' H uv/ q 1 1 Q; a 1 E 1 1 A .g g w 1 J. G. LEWIS.

BLiNDSTITCH SEWING MACHINE. AiPLICATlON FILED 0:024, 1910.

1,172,812. I Patented Feb. 22,1916.

l2 SHEETS-SHEET 9.

r o 109 k #0 72 A r g J. G. LEWIS.

BLINDSTITCH SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 050.24, 1910.

1 1 72,8 1 2. Patented Feb. 22, 1916 I2 SHEETS-SHEET I0- J. G. LEWIS. BLINDSTITCH SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC- 24, 1910. 1,172,812. Patented Feb. 22,1916.

l2 SHEETS-SHEET l1.

, I I Q6 IIIJQW' Wei/1 k W 06W WJQLJV MW 8? J. G. LEWIS.

BLINDSTITCH SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC- 24, l9l0. 1,172,812. v Patented Feb. 22,1916.

12 SHEETS-SHEET I2- ea er ewe ea;

JOHN G. LEWIS, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

BLINIQSTITCH SEWING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

- Patented Feb. 22,1916.

Application filed December 24, 1910. Serial No. 599,071.

To dZZ whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JOHN G. Lnwrs, a c1t1-, zen of the United States, residing at St.

Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Blindstitch Sewing-Machines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

.My invention relates to improvements in blind stitch sewing machines, and, in many features, it relates more particularly to sewing machines making a lock stitch.

Among the general objects of my invention I seek to provide a machine readily adapted to widely different sorts of work; capable of high speed and facile operation; suitable for handling materials ofwidely varying thickness and abruptly changing numbers of ply; and adaptable also to produce different characters ofstitch for conformity with the requirements of different grades and sorts of work. i

A more specific object of my invention is to provide a lock-stitch machine producing an over-seaming stitch with a single needle moving in a single path of reciprocation.

The many features of my invention productive of improved and "novel mechanical organizations, and resulting in the performance of novel functions may best be ascertained'from the appended claims in conjunction with the following specification and the accompanying drawings.

In such drawings, illustrative of a commercial embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a flat-bed machine; Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof with parts of the arm broken away; Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section on linev 4-4 of Fig. 2 ;Fig. 5 is a-detail elevation of an eccentric structure; Fig. 6'is a transverse section thereof on line 66 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a section on' line 77 of 2, to show the head in face elevation; Fig. 8 is a section on line 8 8 of Fig. 7 Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the head mechanism; Fig. 10 is a longitudinal section through the base of a fiat-bed machine; Fig. 11'is a perspective detail of a spring adjustment; Fig. 12 is a sectional detail on line 1212 of Fig.

10';"Fig. 13 is a sectional detail taken on line 1313 of Fig. 10; Fig. 14 is an elevation of the Work-handling mechanism, the view being taken from'the outer end of the bed;

Fig. 15 is a vertical section on line 1515 of Fig. 14; Fig. 16 shows the same mechanism.

viewed from section line 1616 of Fig. 10; Fig. 17 is a plan view of the mechanism; Fig. 18 is a perspective view of the cylinder and work-handling mechanism of a cylinder base machine; Fig. 19 is a detail showing the relation of the head to the arm, in a 45- right machine; Fig. 20 is a similar view of a 15-left machine;-Figs. 21 and 22 show respectively inexaggerated fashion the overseam form of stitch produced by the 45- right and 15-left" machine, respcctively' Fig. 23 is a plan view and Fig. 24 a sectiona detail of a 45-right presser foot; Figs. 25 and 26 are details of a right-hand bightlooper, shown in ,the major view; Fig. 27 is a plan view ofa presser foot appropriate to 'a 15-left machine; Figs. 28 and 29 are sectional details on lines, 2828 and 29'29,

respectively, of Fig. '27; Figs. 30 and 31ers details of a bight-looper appropriateto a 15-1eft machine; Figs. 32 and 33 are details .of a thread and needle guard applied to a rotary hook of a machine and F1g. 34 is a .detail of a modified form of plunger-with an appropriate clamp.

In the drawings, 40 indicates in general the frame of the machine, whereof 41 indicates a flat base, mounted on feetv 42; 43 is a frame post; and 44 the upper arm generally paralleling the base, the base'and post be ing preferably detachably connected in customary fashion. The base has associated I therewith thematerial-handling mechanism;

. the upper arm carries the drive shaft and a head bearing the presser foot and. StltCh- -forming mechanism; and the. post "houses the operative connections between the drive shaft and the shafts for the work-handling parts on the base.

46' an'd47, in the ends of said arm, said shaft carrying in its protruding rear end I 45 indicates the main. drive shaft extend- A ing lengthwise through arm 44, j ou-rnaled in detachable rear and front bearing bushings,

cess 57 in its edge,

58 on its face.

. ing screw, 63,

65 which is shaft 71 finds bearing in the form of an eccentric. Cams 51 and 53' are fixed uponthe shaft, but the intermediate cam 52, for imparting lateral motion to a 4-way feedis adjustable to vary its eccentric throw, thereby to vary the stitch length. As a'simple means to this end, cam 51 is integral with a block 54. Said block 54 provides in diametrical alinement a re- The cam 52 has a large center opening (see Fig. 6) to accommodate its movement relative to the shaft, and is mounted on aplate 59, which has an offset end lug, 60, guided in the recess 57, and a countersunk guide s1ot61, cooperating with guide pin 58. Coil springs 62 between the bottom of recess 57 and lug 60 of the plate press the plate outwardly againstan adjustv passing-through lug 60 and into the block the screw 63, the degree of eccentricity of cam .52 is determined.

The eccentrics 51, 52,- drive rock shafts 71, 72, and 73, which I will respectively term the plunger shaft,

lateral feed shaft, and vertical feed shaft. The strap of eccentric 51 is part of an arm 64, connected with pivoted near its one, end to a depending lug 74 of the frame and is con-, 'nected at its other end by link 64' to the wrist pin of crank 66 on the plunger shaft 71. The strap of eccentric 52 is part'of arm,

67 ,which is connected to the wrist pin of crank 68. upon the lateral feed shaft, 72. Similarly, arm 69 connects the strap of ec-. centric 53 to the wrist pin of crank 70 of vertical feed shaft 73. The rear end of lug 74, and shafts I 72 and 73 project beyond their rear bearing .in a frame lug 75.

Each of the shafts 71, 72, and 73 is straight'and.continuous, and the axis of g each 1s a constant line. At their front ends said shafts all bear in a block 80,'which is preferably in the form of a major segment of a cylinder, attached to the base by screws 81. The arrangement-shown is advantageous in that it bringsall of the longitudinal shafts of the base into an .area of small compass, so that if desired, said shafts may bereadily inc osed within a base cylinder or arm 41' of relatively small size, as shown in Fig. 18, the block-80 conformand'a headed guide pin 54, so that by adjustment of the mid portion. of lever f ing to the end of said cylinder. In this way, the'machine may be set up to work on sleeves, trouwrs bottoms, and the like, with only a change of the base casting and its work-receiving connections.

Where the cylinder is employed, I generally provide a sheet metal bed plate 82, attached to the base cylinder by screws 83, and suitably disposed to present the work to the moving work-handling part which Works through an opening 84 'in said plate. The nfoving feed parts at the ends of the cylinder may be covered by a suitable housing (not shown) of anyconvenient shape. Where the flat bed is used, as shown in the major views, I provide a flat bed plate or work plate 85; pivoted as at 86 to ears'87 on the frame at its rear end, and at its front end bearing on an adjustable fiber-headed stop screw 88 projecting from. the base 40.

Such adjustable work plate surrounds thework-handling devices, and supports the garment being sewed, the plate having, of

course, an opening through which the feed devices may work. Specifically, I prefer to WliIC-h may be moved to giveaccess to the working parts of the work-handling mechaof sufficient size for intended purpose,

provid'e in the plate two slides 89 and 90 I The work-handling devices comprise in.

general a plunger reciprocable to present the stitch-receiving portionqf the goods throughand 53, respectlvely 5 an opening in a stationry presser foo-t which is above the work, a clamp carr ed by the plunger'to operate upon the goods im- 'mediately around the stitch-recelving portion, and a 4-way feed device, these parts bein and 73, through connections associated with the block 80. The plunger, generally indicated at 100, is a vertically reciprocating member, operated by shaft 71, provided with an appropriately shaped nose or tip to copperate with the back of the goods. Specifically, 101 indicates a barrel portion of the plunger mounted to slide vertically in a guide opening 102 in the block 80,'the bottom of said barrel being reduced, in diameter .into athfoat 101, secured in anofi'set lug 103, projecting from a slide plate, 104, whlch works in a slideway inthe inner face of the. block80, said sli'deway opening to a recess 105' across the bottom of the block to accommodate themovement of lug 103. To impart vertical motion to slide 104, shaft 71 is provided with a crank 106, having a wrist connection with link 107, the oppositeextremity of which is pivotally connected to 'said slide 104: In brder that" the limits of the vertical movements of the slide 104 maybe varied, and the limits of movement of operated by the three shafts 71, 72,

the'plunger be correspondingly changed, the I connection between the slide 104'and link '107 is made adjustable. To this end, the

a clamp, 108, engaging a rotarily adjustable sleeve 109,- eccentrically apertured to surround the pin 110 projecting from slide 104. Obviously, by rotating the eccentric sleeve 109, by means of its head 109', and clamping it in desired position, efiective variations of thelimits of throw of the plunger may be attained at will.

The tip or nose of the plunger is preferablyyieldable relative to the body thereof to constitute a yielding back guide; To this end, the head 111 is mounted on a steni 112,

extending into-the central bore of the barrel 101, and reduced at its lower end, as at I 112, to pass through the throat 101 to receive exterior stop nuts 113, the reduced por tion 112. of the stem being surrounded by a coil spring 114 yieldingly extending the stem to its upper limit of movement relative to the barrel. A key 115 engaginga key way 116 in stem 112 prevents the head from rotating. The yieldability of the plunger thus provided is particularly advantageous in relieving the machine from strain under sudden increases in the-thickness of work. Preferably, the connections of the plunger mechanism to the rock shaft 71 are such that in the rocking movement of the shaft, occuringlwith each revolution of the main shaft, the crank arm 90 swings past dead center slightly, so that the .operation of the plunger is to rise from lowest to,

highest position, and then to dip or recede slightly before commencing its return to lowest position, thus securing what I will term a secondary retraction of the plunger head, of considerable duration and slightextent, occurringwhile the plunger is adj a- 40 cent its upper limit of movement in its position of functional cotiperation with the needle.

In operative association with the plunger I provide a clamping mechanism, for cooperation with the stationary presser foot above the cloth to clamp and steady the goods contiguous to the plunger at-the'time of needle penetration. Particularly the v of entrance of the needle, in order that the goods may not give to the thrust of the needle and tend to follow the needle inits reciprocating movements. The precise configuration of the clamping means will, of

course, be variable to. correspond with such I variation as may be made in the precise form of the plunger head, but in the specific construction shown, the clamp, 120, is a cup-shaped member, surrounding, orsubstantially surrounding, the head of the plunger, and "yie'ldably mounted upon the plunger for reciprocation therewith.

. 121 indicates the rim of the clamp, the

upper edge of which constitutes the clampsaid clamp with its stop pin 124 abutting against the stop pin 125 of-the plunger, so that obviously, the clamp may reciprocate with the plunger, but is capable of. yielding movement to slide longitudinally or tilt universally relative to the plunger head. I

The feeding of the goods is accomplished by a feed dog130, operating against the under surface of the presser foot and driven laterally or fore-and-aft from lateral feed shaft 72 and vertically fromv the vertical feed shaft 73. The-feed dog 130 is thus driven entirely by axially fixed, solid shafts, dispensing with universal joints, but the mounting and cbnnections of the dog are such that it has a desirable and efficient capacity for adaptive movements. Thus, the dog is preferably swiveled on a horizontal axis capable of rocking metion to compensate for variations in thickness of material interposed between the presser foot and different .fore-and-aft areas of the dog, thereby to enable all points on the toothed surfaces of the dog appropriately to coact with the work. Also said dog is prefer-.

ably so mounted upon a carrier, springpressed to normal position, that any phase of its cyclic operation, and regardless of whether or not the drive shafts are in motion, the dog may be depressed to Permit of the insertion, removal, or shifting of the work. To the latter end, I provide'in the connection of the feed dog' with the lateral feed shaft, a generally horizontal swinging link, andin the connection of said dog to the vertical feed shaft, I provide a lever system having a point of connection to the spring-pressed carrier and also having a generally horizontal swinging link, so that the dog may make excursions with the carrier permitted by swinging links. 1

The feed dog 130 provides suit ble toothed areas or points, 131, two of which preferably flank the plunger and clamp mecha-;

nisms, while a third is in front of the plunger with reference to the direction of feed. To the forward extremity of the feed dog is pivoted a flat link, 132, arranged at a relaits remote extremity pivoted to a crank 133 mounted upon the end of lateral feed shaft, 72.. Near its fore-*and-aftcenter, the feed dog is'pivoted to the extremity of a generw Y ally vertical link 13.4, the normal, substan tially'horizontal', presentation of the point tively small angle to the horizontal, and at" movements of vertical feed shaft 73 operate zontal link, 139, with a crank lever 140,,

mountedu on the extremity of vertical feed shaft 7 3; bviously, a rocking movement of lateralfeed shaft 72 operates through crank 133 and link 132 to reciprocate the feed points laterally or fore-and-aft, and the rocking through connections 140 139,'13s-134, to

reciprocate the feed dog vertically. The

pivot 138, upon which bell crank 138 rocks, is partof a carriage 141, comprising a guide post 142, sliding in a suitable opening in the block 80, and at its lower end connected to head 143 'by a screw 144 extending through the pivot portion 138 of said head. The carriage head 143 works in a recess 145 in block 80, and upon said head I preferably mount a buffer spring 146 to ease the action of the carriage under high speed. The carriage is normally spring-pressed upwardly by a strong leaf spring 148, the tip of which engages in a recess 149, in the carriage head 143. The base of the spring 148 passes over a fulcrum lug, 150, suitably provided upon the base, and near its extremities is engaged by a block 151 adjustable to vary the ten sion of the spring by means of an adjusting screw 152, extending through the block and spring and through 'a fixed lug 153 of the frame. These parts are .best shown in Figs. 10 and 11.

- The spring 148 hows the carriage 141111 raised position, so that the 4-way movements of the feed may occur in proper relation to the goods to feed the same forward step by step, but it will be observed that the carriage may be depressed against the tension of-the spring either inidentally to the functional operations of the feed or for the purpose of dro-pping the feed to permit the goods to be inserted, removed, or shifted. Obviously, when the carriage 141 is depressed, carrying with it the pivot member 138" for bell crank lever 138 of the feed systein, the lowering of the bell crank lever draws down the link 134 and with it the feed points, the generally horizontal link 139 and the generally horizontal link 132 both swinging downward at their ends .re-

.mote from the cranks 140 and 133 to accommodate the displacement of the "feed points and the bell crank lever. Neither link 132 nor 139 need be in precisely horizontal position to accommodate this movement, but

. as compared with the-vertical displacement.

The arrangement shown is such that the .dea pression of the carriage and the feed dog may take place regardless of the position of the cranks 133 and 140 in tion of-the feed. 7

Any appropriate means may be provided for depressing the carriage at will, the construction shown providing a rocking frame the cyclic opera- 154 arranged to act upon the spring 148 and a knee-lift for actuating said frame. Specifically, 155 and 156 indicate end arms of a frame, both pivoted upon the plunger shaft 71, and connected by frame bar 154 the first saidarm having an extension 157 to act upon the spring 148 near its end, and the other arm having a lever extension, 158. A spring 159 normally holds the frame retracted to lift projection 157 away from the spring 148, but the elevation of the lever l58'by any suitable 'knee-operateddevice, 160, throws the rocking frame over to depress the spring 148 and with it the carriage 141.

It will, of course, be obvious that with the organization heretofore described, the plunger will be located at "a point where the needle may cotiperate therewith to penetrate the goods presented by the plunger, and I therefore referto the vertical line including the axial line of. the plunger as the stitching axis. In different classes of work it is advantageous to have the needle axis at different appropriate, angles to the path of feed, and also it is desirable in some instances to have the needle approach 7 I the stitching axis from the right side of theline of feed and sometimes from the left, according to the character of the work. One of the aims of my invention, is to provide a machine with its parts so organized that interchangeable parts may be used, as far as possible, in all machines, regardless of,-

the degree of angularityof the needle relative to the path of feed, making the matter of the production of any desired type.of machine practically one only of assemblage and adjustment. For these reasons, among others, I mount the entire stitch-forming rotary adjustment of the head about the stitching axis may be made with minimum change or-readjustment of the head parts, and said head is associated with the frame arm in a fashion to permit its proper attachment to the arm in various positlonsof- Specifically, 162 indirotiary adjustment. cates an arcuate bearing extenslon of the frame arm 44, curving forward below the plane of the arm and having its inner surface in a true are with the stitching axis mechanism in a head insuch relation-that iii of the machine as'its center. The head of the machine, generally indicated at 163,

carries the stitch-forming mechanism as an organized unit, and is built for attachment A to-the frame in different positions of angular adjustment. The head mechanism is mounted in a casting 164, having'a'sufih' cient portion of its exterior shaped to conform to the are of bearing extension 162 for adequate contact therewith in various intended positions of angular adjustment.

The casting provides a back recess 165 and a front recess 166, separated by a wall 167 which lies between side walls'168 and 169,-

" termed for distinction the right and left P walls.

construction of the machine-shown in the major ,views- (to' wit, a 45 -right machine,- that is to say, a machine in which the needle. path stands at 45 to'the line of feed and the needle strikes-from the right of the operator) 170, indicates in general the presser foot structure, detachably mounted upon the lower-extremity of the head by screws '171, said structure comprising .abody part 172, deeply recessed as at 173, to accommodate a the hook and other mechanisms and having integrally connected therewith a toe plate 174 to overlie the feed'mechani'sm. The plate 174 has a cloth opening. 175, enlarged into a recess on the under sunface of the plate, and into such recess and opening the pliinger heretofore described works in the operation of the machine,.while the clamp 120 works against the under side of the substantially rigid plate 174. v

180 indicates a gear wheel, carried by shaft '181 and meshin with gear 49, carried by drive shaft 45. haft .181 is mounted in suitable right and left bearings, 182 and 183, of the head, and from it .are driven all of the timed parts of the stitch-forming mechanism, comprising primarily, in the particular machine shown, a needle, a bight ing parts, the wrist pin of said crank car-'- looper, a needle thread take-up, a second thread-carrier, and a needle-elevating. slide.

Shaft 181 bears at its left end, beyondbearing 183, a crank arm, 184, counterweighted' as at 185, for balance. of the mov rying a bell crank'lever having a long vertical arm 186 and a short horizontal arm 186.- Said long arm 186 of the bell crank lever constitutes a link connection, pivotally' attached at its lower endto a lever 187,

forming an integral extension from one ex-' tre'mity' of a needlebar 188 of arcuate or yoke shape, pivoted in suitable bearings on oppositesides of the head frame to osclllate on an axissubstantially parallel with. the

head shaft 181. Centrally of its "span the needle bar is provided with a head 189, equipped with a needle clamp, 190, and a thread-guide and tensioner, 191, the clam receivin the butt of a needle 192, which is of suita le curvature, side-pointed toward its outside arc, and angulated slightly to its arc of movement. The thread-guide and tensioner 191 is a small piece} of sprmg metal (see Figs. v7 and 9) lying along the top and front face of head'1-89, providing a ,thread-receiving '-notch" 193 to guide the thread into a groove 194 of the head 189,

To describe specifically, the head very and providing also a spring 195, pressing'into a shallow recess in head 189,- lnter- J 'movements of the short 'bell crank arm 186 heretoforereferred to. Said am 186'. has

pivoted to its extremity a slideblock 196,

engaging a cylindrical arm 197, projecting from a rocking sleeve 198, carrying the takeup arm '199, and mounted for oscillation upon a short shaft 200, which finds suitable bearing in the head castings close to the back wall 167. The take-up arm projects forwardly beyond the sides of the head, and, of course, operates vertically. The threadguiding arrangement is preferably such that the thread passes. through'an eye 201 below the take-up arm inrthe path ofthe take-up,- to a suitable thread guide 202, of well known construction, thence to a suitable tension and 1 thread controller spring at 2O3, up to the take-up arm and down to the needle-threadguide 191, as indicated by dot-and-dash line in Fig. 9. a v

The arrangement described provides a. effective, take-up, advantageously timed. Obviously, as crank arm 184. rotates in the direction of the arrow, -(Fig. -8)..it

rocks the arm 197 .rearwardly through the bell-crank lever connection 186','durin'g the i period when the crank is crossing its lower vertical radius, and the'slide block 196; is. working upon the shortest radius of arm 197, so that the rise of the take-up 199 is sharp and rapid. The subsequent sliding of block 196 to the portion of arm 197 of longeriradius, and the forward moveme t of said arm 197 with the slide block working on said longer radius, causes the downward movement of the take-up arm'199 to be relatively slow, practical dwells occurring at both ends of the excursion of the take-up. y f

In the machine shown, the needle co-acts "with a' rotary hook or loop-taker mecha-' nism associated with its appropriate bobbin or second thread. carrler. The head shaft is provided with a spiral gear 210, meshing-with the pinion 211, carried by a vertically extending shaft 212, finding suitable bearings appurtenant to the rear-wall 167. of the head castin ,fandextending downward to carry at its ower. end a bevel gear 213, meshing with a correspondinigc gear 214 on the rear extremityof hook-sha 215. The hook-shaft is mounted in an elongated sleeve 21(j, fixed in the wall 161, the j shaft projecting through said wall to carry In order that the machine may make an over-seaming stitch, involving both an overon the front side thereof the rotary hook or I loop-taker 2'17 inclosing and 'coiiperating with an appropriate. bobbin case 218, in-

closing the usual bobbin 219. Except for details hereinafter referred to, the hook,

7 ing the hook, the point of the needle first strikes the needle-deflector 220 removably secured upon the toe 174 of the presser foot, and the tensioned point, after it crosses the opening 175 passes through the needle throat 222 in the lower edge of a throat plate 221 at the front of the body portion 170 of the presser foot, The throat plate is provided with a protrusion 223 engaging a notch 224; in the edge of the bobbin case 218,

and the bobbincase has on its upper edge a I shoulder 225 to cotiperate with a throw back thereto,

' ceive the needle 1f I forwardly lation to partto be described. The hook member 217 has its rear surface inclined so that the pointed end of the needle blade, passing through the throat 222 may approach close and means are provided for bringing the needle close up to the hook to insure the taking of the loop by the beak of the hook. 226- is an elevating slide, lying flat against wall 167, and moving in guide-' ways 227 thereon,

said slide having a forwardly extendin g, finger 228 arranged to rethe latter be deflected too from the periphery of the hook to elevate the needle into operative rethe hook beak, 217. The slide 226 1s vertically moved by an eccentric 229, preferably formed integral with the hook and engaged by an eccentric strap 230, which is extendedinto an arm 231, pivoted as at 232 to the upper extremity of slide 226, so that the timing of the reciprocations of the 'elevati g slide are always in accord with the rotations ofthe hook. Y

. On'the rear face of the hook, I provide a device for preventing the needle from being faraway and lifted or deflected. so high that the. beak of the hook may pass under it and break the clogging of the hook shaft by accidental accumulation of thread. Specifically, 235 (Figs. 8, 32, and 33) indicates such guide part, consisting of an annular plate 236, attached to the back'face of the hook, said annulus having a short are of its edge deflected and ata suitable angle, as shown at237, to lie immediately behind the beak of the hook, and said annulus having the major are of its edge formed into an annular channel, 238, to receive loose thread-ends.

and waste material that might tend to clog the hook shaft, whereby said part 235 constitutesia'thread guard on the back face of the hook."

cast bight and a penetrant loop as joint point of anchorage of said needle thread in the work at the point of needle entrance of the previously completed stitch, and to overcast the bight above the work to encompass the point of needle emergence of the stitch being made, so that said overcast bight may partially encompass the next penetrant loop of needle thread at the point ofemergence of the needle from the goods, and may be held or keyed by the bobbin thread when the latter interlocks with or keys the penetrant loop of needle thread. This I believe to be broadly new, viz: com- V bining a stitch formingmechanism which is capable of forming a series of keyed penetrant loops, entering and emerging on the same side of the work so as themselves to constitute a series of complete blind stitches, with a bight-casting means or looper which mayact 0n the same side of the work to cast a bight of the thread used in said penetrant loops from between two points where said thread enters the work, at the same ends of two successive penetrant loops, across the face ofthe work to such position that it may partially encompass the opposite end of the last made one of said penetrant loops so as-to beretained by the keying arrangement of said penetrantloops. It will be obvious that the broad idea of so overcasting a bight of thread-from one extreme of the penetrant range of the needle stroke appropriately to circumscribe the opposite extreme of the penetrant range of the needle stroke for the formation of a stitch as above described, might be embodied in machines "differing in construction from that herein described, and that the preseht invention in its broader aspects is limited neither to the formation of such a bight aspart of a lock stitch (as distinguished from a chain stitch) nor to the formation of such bight in the needle thread (as distinguished from a bobbin thread) Throughout this description I ema-looper bar .243, through which appropriate and the needle during in order that it may cross .the path of reciprocation of thelneedle between the goods the retraction of the penetrate the fabric,

' 6-way motion is communicated to the looper vertical dead center.

crank 255 and bar 257, tilts the looper bar 243 in its ball-and-socket joint to throw the point 241 of thelooper toward the hook 1,17as1a descend into the recess 173 of ther'pre'sser' foot; and cross the path of the needle on about its line of travel, to position and release the bight; and riseand move outward again to complete its cycle. The looper bar is slidingly mounted in a ball 244, arranged in an appropriate two-piece socket 245, so that theibar may have universal freedom for pivotal movement and freedom for sliding movement relative to its said support. The desired 6-way movement is imparted to the looper bar from two mechanical motions deriving power from the head shaft, one

.motion raising and lowering and rocking fore-and-aft the looper bar relative to its ball-and-socket fulcrum, and the other motion giving lateral movement to the said ball and socketconnections. Thus the head shaft, 181, carries on its right-hand extremity a plate 246, bearing a crank pin 247, on which is mounted a slide block 248, cm gaging a slideway 249 in a lever 250, which is pivoted on a horizontal shaft 251, and bears upon its lower end a gear sector 252. This sector meshes with a'pinion 253 on a rock shaft 254, extending transversely through suitable bearings in the head casting to carry on its extremity a crank 255; having its wrist pin carrying a block 256, to which is pivoted on a fore-and-aft axis the arm 257 which at its lower end is secured to and carries the looperbar, 243. The head shaft 181 likewisecarries aneccentric, 260, encircled by eccentric strap 260', from which depends arm261, having a ball-and-socket connection 262 withth'e' horizontal upper end of a bell crank lever 263 pivoted as at 264 and having its lower vertical arm directly connected to and carrying the socket 245 of the looper bar bear ing. In a cycle of operations of these parts, starting from the position shown in Fig. 9, as the head shaft 181 rotates in an anticlockwise direction, it operates through eccentric 260 to elevate arm 261, rocking bell crank lever263, so that the loopen point 241 moves laterally across the needle path on the thread-engaging portion of its cycle. This movement merges .into an inward sweep accompanied by a lifting of the looper, as the crank 247, rocking the lever 250, occasions the latter,-.through its gear sector, to rock shaft 254, throwing crank 255 in an anti-clockwise direction over its This movement of mechanism, and the movement is accomplished relatively rapidly as the crank 247 is working on lever 250 at. the ."shortest radius of said lever. During the practical dwell in the movement of lever 250, while I the slideblock 248 is slipping out to a longer radius, the eccentric 260 depresses the horizontal arm of the bell crank lever 263, causing the reverse lateral movement of the looper end, which throws its end across'the path of the needle properly to dispose the bight (to be entered by the needle. Obviously, the swing of the crank 247 acrossits upper vertical center, where it works upon the longer radius of the lever 250 causes a relatively slow return of the bight looper to initial position, and completes the cycle, the result of the various components of movements producing a travel of the looper end in an ovate course passing across the line of needle traverse at the" inner and outers ends of its course and rising some what on the 1n and out movements between the ends of its course, the inward movementbeing considerably accelerated in order that the bighfimay properly be laid before the needle passes through the overcast bight as it emerges from the goods on 3 its penetrating stroke, and the outward movement retarded so that the needle may properly be retracted and the take-up may effect its thread-drawing operation before the bight looper forms a new bight.

I The bight looper is arranged to maintain its engagement with the bight of the needle thread until the needle has entered .the bight, and then to cast off the bight before the looper makes its outward excursion. To-insure the proper releasing of the thread from .the looper, I provide a stripper, 265, upon the presser foot, to strip the thread from the looper as the latter passes the edge of the stripper in the course of its lateral traverse, or at the commencement of its outward excursion.

The bell crank lever movement is also utilized to actuate the throw-back for the bobbin case, and to this spring 270,but as the bell crank lever 263' v has its vertical arm moved from left to right ,I

a (Fig. 7 ),'the shoe 267, working on cam surface 268, forces over the throw-back. lever 269, and moves the bobbin case slightly in. a direction. opposed to the direction of rota--' 263- of the looper tionof-the' hook 217, thereby positively to open a thread clearance between the throat plate projection 22 1 and theedge of recess 224," which l'jsaid projection engages. In the operation of the sewin plunger-loweredto the bottom of its stroke,

. p 6 machine described, the goods are inserted 1n the machine when the ,gneedle' is raised and the" ries down with it, in the manner heretofore described, the feed dog. When the knee lever is released the spring 148 raises the feed to operative position and the machine is ready to commence operation. Each ro-' tation of the mainshaft of the machine causes the plunger 100 to rise, carrying with it the clamp 120, until said clamp is stopped by contact with the goods and clamps the goods contiguous to the plunger against the under surface of the presser foot toe, the-plunger then continuing to rise to elevate the portion of the goods confined by the clamp to stitch-receiving position, presenting the goods to be stitched in the form of a hump or bend, which-;is taut over the surface of the plunger head 111. As the clamp begins to act the feed dog 130 descends, and when the plunger arrives at its highest position, the needle effects its penetrating stroke, passing into and out of the goods upon the face or stitching side there- I of, toform a blind stitch. The needle point is tensioned by contact with the part 220, and passes through the throat in the throat plate 221, after its passage into and emergence from the goods, the proper relation of the needle to the rotary hook being insured by the operation of the elevating member 226, and the needle guard part 237. In well known manner, the hook takes the penetrant loop from theneedle and passes it around the bobbin, the bobbin release 269 operating upon the bobbin case to open the thread clearance between the retaining projections 221 and the edge (if recess 224 at the appropriate time. Upon the withdrawal of the needle, the plunger descends, carrying with .it the clamp 120, and thefo'rward feeding action then takes place.

'As the needle stands in withdrawn posi-' tion, the looper 'end241 engages the thread between the retracted needle and the terminal point of anchorage of the last preceding stitch (which of course is the point at f the surface of the goods where the needle penetrated on the preceding stitch) and said or overcasts a .bight across the presser-foot on the next stroke of the needle said needle carrying the penetrant loop is passed up out of the work at the point of emergence of the needle, in a position partially encompassed by said .overcast bight, the looper then being retracted so close to the stripper 265 as posi-,

' tively to casti'ts loop since the looper passes between k the stripper 265 lifts the chord of thread exparts 222- and 265 (see Fig. 24). and

gence thereof at e,

cloth opening 175, so that when the penetrant loop is keyed or inter locked with the bobbin. thread, said overcast bight is retained; by coaction of the penetrant. loop and keying bobbin thread,or by the bobbin thread alone, if the latter be drawn down into the goods. stitch made by a145-right machine is exaggeratedly illustrated in Fig. 21, in which N indicates the needle thread and'B the bobbin thread, points of penetration of the needle being indicated at p' vand points of emerthe' needle thread making a series of penetrant loops at each keyed by the bobbin thread B, bights n ofthe needle thread being overcast from base points at two successive points of penetration p to encircle the emergence points 6 of the last made of said loops to be retained by the key 'ing bobbin thread. Thus, the seam as ultimat'ely made comprises a series ofkeyed penetrant loops connected by thread portions which are overcast each from between two base points at like extremes of successive penetrations, with its crest encompassing the opposite extreme of the last made of the penetrations. 1 It will be obvious that if the looper is detached from thou-machine, the needle thread Nwill run straight along the line of penetration points p, eliminating merely the bights n. Thus, it will be apparent that the series of keyed penetrant loops contemplated is a series-of stitches complete in themselves regardless of the overcast bights.

' While I have herein described in detail the construction of parts employed in the machine where the needle strikes at an angle of'45 to the line of feed, and from the right of the operator, one important feature of the construction is its adaptability to strike at different angles to the lineof feed from either'side, As shown in Fig. 20, the of the machine may be' adjusted rotatively axis in the arcuate arm head be adapted in precise configuration to the specific angle to be provided for, and since the looper should throw the bight in the needle thread in the same general direction as that of the lateral or angular component of the needle travel, a "left machine should have its 100 or making itsorbital movement in reverse dlrection to that of the looper fora ,right machine, and the shape of the The specific and each to form a bight to disengage the thread 1 from the notch in-the looper end 241. Thus,

looper should correspondingly be changed. Thus, in a I5-left machine, .-I advanta- 

